Catalyst THE MAGAZINE OF

HAYES FREE CHURCH (U.R.C.)

December 2017/January 2018

HAYES FREE CHURCH

111, Pickhurst Lane, Hayes, Kent BR2 7HU

Sunday Services. 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

We are a member of the United Reformed Church. We believe in Justice and Peace.

Principal Contacts

Interim Moderator: Mrs Hilary Miles

Church Secretary: Mrs Mavis Righini Tel: 020 8462 1168

Treasurer: Mr. Simon Narracott Tel: 020 8462 2004

Lettings Secretary: Mrs Undine Connolly Tel: 020 8776 0108

Church Website www.hayesfreechurch.com

Church Magazine Catalyst

Editor: Miss Christine Rees catalysthfc

@btinternet.com

Contents :

Church Secretary’s Letter 1 January Quiz at Trinity 10

Sunday Services 2 Homelessness starter packs 11

Chartwell Cancer Trust 9 Revenue from Coffee 11

Church Notices 3-5 More on Catalyst subs 12

Christmas Tree Festival 6-7 Stop Press 13

Christmas Quiz 8 Quiz answers 13

Christmas Fair/ Card Sale 8 Calendar 14-15

Chartwell Cancer Trust 9 Christmas Greetings 16

Bromley Food Bank 9 HFC Organisations inside back cover

Final Thought - back cover

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copy for February 2018 is needed by Sunday 14th January 2018 – and even earlier if at all possible. The editor is very grateful if you would submit items in good time.

You can leave copy in the "R" Pigeon Hole for Christine to collect; hand it directly to her, or e-mail it to catalysthfc@btinternet.com Thank you.

Editor’s note: throughout this magazine, the following abbreviations are standardly used:

URC (United Reformed Church); HFC (Hayes Free Church);

CTiH (Churches Together in Hayes); and for this month CTF (Christmas Tree Festival).

- 1 -

Letter from the Church Secretary

Dear All,

Well here we are at the end of our 2nd year without a Minister and I must say a big thank you to you all for such wonderful support.

I look back on a happy year when 2 new Elders, Maggie and Wendy joined us and we had 4 new members, Ian, Audrey, Alison and Duncan. Real joy.

The build up to Christmas has begun with a very successful Christmas Fair and Charity Card Sale when nearly £1600 was raised for Church Funds.

A new year beckons us on, when we will continue to praise and worship our loving Lord, whose birth we are celebrating.

We have so much to be thankful for, so it's right that we give to others who are in need. At our Christmas Gift day on 10th December we will be supporting the Whitechapel Mission who reach out and support a growing number of homeless people in London, and gifts of new or as good as new toys will be for Child Aid who work in Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.

So I wish you all a very happy Christmas followed by a peaceful and healthy 2018.

With Christian love to you all,

Mavis

- 2 -

Sunday Services in December 2017

3rd 10.30 am - Morning Service – Rev Geoff Larcombe

6.30 pm – Evening Service with the Choir of Pickhurst Junior Academy – Mavis Righini

10th 10.30 am – Gift Service and Parade – Martin Wilcox

6.30 pm – Churches Together in Hayes Service with the Band of Hayes School

17th 10.30 am – Service of Nine Lessons and Carols – Tony Russell

6.30 pm – Evening Service – TBA

24th 10.30 am - Morning Service – Alan Kienlen

6.30 pm – Evening Service - Mavis Righini

25th 10.30 am – Christmas Morning Service – Duncan Wilson

31st 10.30 am - Morning Service – Hilary Miles

No Evening Service on New Year’s Eve

Sunday Services in January 2018

14th 10.30 am – Morning Service – John Cox

21st 10.30 am - Morning Service – Alan Kienlen

6.30 pm –Churches Together in Hayes (service will be at St Mary’s, Hayes Parish Church, NOT at Hayes Free Church)

28th 10.30 am – Morning Service – Marion Moore

Preachers for remaining dates and times in January will be announced later.

Evening services will take place in the Elders’ Vestry (which is accessed from the side door in Hilldown Road), with the exception of those on 3rd and 10th December, which will be held in the church.

Rev. Geoff Larcombe is a retired Baptist Minister, who has worked in India with the Leprosy Mission.

Mavis Righini is our Church Secretary.

Martin Wilcox is the Charity Manager of ChildAid to Eastern Europe.

Tony Russell is a non-serving Elder of Hayes Free Church. He was Church Secretary for some years, and later was Church Treasurer.

Alan Kienlen is a Synod Recognized Lay Preacher from Emmanuel URC, where he is also a Serving Elder.

Duncan Wilson recently received the church’s endorsement of his application to start training as a Lay Preacher.

Hilary Miles is our Interim Moderator.

John Cox is a Reader at St Mary’s Church, College Road, Bromley (Diocese of Rochester).

- 3 -

Church Meetings

NB The next Church meeting will be at 12.00 noon on Sunday 28th January 2018, in the church following the morning service. The next two Elders’ meetings will be at 7.00 pm in the small hall on Tuesdays 5th December, and 9th January (2018).

News of the Church Family

I am sorry to have to give the news that Brenda Pett’s mother died early in November. Brenda has asked me to include the following message:

I would like to send my thanks to everyone from the church who has been in touch during my mother’s illness. Your kind messages, and the knowledge that my mother and I were in your thoughts and prayers, have been a great support to me.

With thanks, Brenda

Women's Contact Group: 4th December and 8th January

We usually meet on the first Monday of the month for a meal at the Warren Sports Ground, Hayes. Our January meeting will be put back a week to avoid New Year’s Day, and so our next two lunches will take place on Monday 4th December 2017 and Monday 8th January 2018, at 12.30pm in each case. The Warren is accessed from Croydon Road (address: Croydon Road, Hayes, BR2 7AL) or on foot from the junction of Warren Road and Holland Way. All ladies are welcome. Sylvia Mack

Men's Group: 18th January 2018

The Men’s Group will not be meeting in December, but their first meeting of 2018 will be at 8pm on Thursday 18th January, with a New Year meal in the Small Hall, organised by Alistair Wilson. Please let Alistair know by Sunday 14th January whether you will be able to come.

Hayes Mothers' & Toddlers' Club: Fridays

We welcome all babies and children under school age, accompanied by their parents, grandparents or carers, to our club on Friday afternoons between 2 and 4pm in term time. The fee is £1 per family - tea, squash and biscuits are provided. This is a time when adults can meet up, while the children in their care are busy playing with toys and activities in the company of other children. The last meeting before Christmas will be on Friday1st December, and we will resume again on Friday 5th January. Wendy Smith

- 4 -

The Tuesday Friendship Group:

All are welcome at the meetings of this group, which will be held in the small hall at 2.00pm on Tuesdays, finishing at about 3.30pm.

For December the programme is:

5th: Christmas Decorations with Jean

12th: Tea with Christmas carols

Meetings will resume in January 2018 with the following programme:

9th: An informal meeting: bring a favourite Christmas card

16th: Ann Bartlett: showing holiday slides

23rd: Ken and Mavis Baker entertain

30th: Bingo

Members who use the Mini-Ambulance service are asked to phone Sylvia Mack on 8462 1938 by 9.00 am on any Tuesday that they are unable to come to a meeting. Please come along for a pleasant afternoon. We have a very varied programme with plenty to interest everyone. Wendy Smith

Messy Church: 24th January 2018 (and maybe Christmas Day?)

This usually meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month in the small hall from 3.30 - 4.30 pm. Children from 2 to 12 years are welcome.

There will be no Wednesday meeting in December, but we hope to see you instead at our morning service on Christmas Day, at 10.30 in the church. We will return to our normal pattern in the New Year, meeting on 24th January.

Saturday Fellowship: 6th January 2018

We usually meet on the first Saturday of each month. We shall not meet in December but will resume on 6th January with a Bible discussion on prayer. This will be at 2.30pm at Barbara’s house. The group’s leader is Martin Nunn and you are welcome to join us.

Book Club: 10th January 2018

The next meeting of the Book Club will be at 2.00pm in the Small Hall on Wednesday 10th January. (Please note that the Book Club’s usual practice is to meet on the first Wednesday of the month. The January date has been moved to accommodate the New Year Holiday and the December meeting has been cancelled because of the Christmas Tree Festival.)

The Fairtrade Stall: 10th December, and 14th January 2018

The Fairtrade stall will now be held once a month, on the 2nd Sunday, just after the morning service. The stall is near the refreshments trolley. There is a new catalogue and, for the speediest customers, a few remaining Christmas goodies! We look forward to seeing you. Richard & Barbara

- 5 -

Singles’ Lunches

Anyone living alone is welcome to our Singles Lunches, which will be held at the Warren, starting at 12.30pm (for details of the location see the Women’s Contact Group notice on p3). These are held approximately monthly, and the next will be held on Sunday 3rd December. At time of going to press there is no date arranged yet for January. More information from Joan Smith.

Notice Sheets

If you have an item for inclusion on the Notice Sheet on a particular Sunday in November, please contact the relevant person below, by the date shown:

By Tuesday 28th Nov for Sunday 3rd Dec: Brenda Cordingley 8462 3867

By Tuesday 5th Dec for Sunday 10th Dec: Joan Smith 8462 3920

By Tuesday 12th Dec for Sunday 17th Dec: Joan Smith 8462 3920

By Tuesday 19th Dec for Sunday 24th Dec: Pamela Collison 8658 0748

By Tuesday 26th Dec for Sunday 31st Dec: Pamela Collison 8658 0748

By Tuesday 2nd Jan 2018 for Sunday 7th Jan: Brenda Cordingley 8462 3867

By Tuesday 9th Jan for Sunday 14th Jan: Brenda Cordingley 8462 3867

By Tuesday 16th Jan for Sunday 21st Jan: Joan Smith 8462 3920

By Tuesday 23rd Jan for Sunday 28th Jan: Joan Smith 8462 3920

By Tuesday 30th Jan for Sunday 4th Feb: Pamela Collison 8658 0748

Ministry of Flowers

Thank you to Mavis and her helpers for their weekly choice and arrangement of flowers in the church. Thanks go also to those who provide for these displays week by week. For the coming two months, they are:

December

3rd – Colin Righini; 24th – Maggie Greenwood

The rest of the month remains to be confirmed

January 2018

7th – Chris and Gill Wood 14th – Mavis Righini

21st – Mr and Mrs Yong 28th – Ruth White

After the service on Sunday morning, the flowers are distributed in order to celebrate, or thank, or support, and in all cases to bring further enjoyment.

- 6 -

Christmas Tree Festival 2nd – 10th December

Very many thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help with the Christmas Tree Festival. I am only too well aware how much work is needed behind the scenes; the event could not take place without the support of a large number of people. As I write there are still a few gaps in the stewarding programme, but provided we end up with two stewards every evening (and we are very near that target now) we should be able to manage. What remains to do now is to come and see the trees, and enjoy the performances. We have 35 trees this year, many from regular supporters but there are also one or two new arrivals including of course Bromley Y, in whose aid the festival is being held. This is the charity which supports the mental and emotional wellbeing of Bromley’s young people, up to age 18.

May I also draw your attention to a few new, or not quite so new, events? If you haven’t yet heard the Croydon Guitarists, they come highly recommended by those who have – and they are due to give our opening concert on 2nd December, for which we really do need a good audience, especially as the Mayor will be with us. On Thursday 7th December we welcome for the first time performers from the wonderful Bromley Youth Music Trust, which is much esteemed across the country for the work it does with young people, and something that we in Bromley are very fortunate to have access to locally. And on Friday 8th December you can re-enter the cinema of the 1940s, with an usher to light you to your seat and the old reels of film whirring away up in the gallery (not really, but we will do our best to make it feel like that!). Not to mention the film – a Christmas tale with the stars of yore! Other events may be familiar from past years, and are known to be popular, so please come along early to be sure of a seat.

Although I hope that you will support our opening night, I am bound to let you know that there is an unfortunate clash that evening, because Beckenham Chorale and St Paul’s Sinfonia will also be performing. Their concert, with works by Morten Lauridsen, Randall Thompson and Howard Goodall, takes place in St George’s Church, Beckenham (ticket prices range from £8 to £14). But if you have to miss our opening concert, please make sure that you come along on as many other nights as possible! And of course make sure you have a good look at the trees themselves. The peaceful atmosphere in the church on a wintry afternoon, with the tree lights twinkling away and perhaps one or two people going carefully round, list in hand, has much to be said for it as a thoughtful way to begin the approach to Christmas. Advent this year begins at almost exactly the same time as the Festival.

Lastly, I am pleased to tell you that the vouchers from Layhams Farm Shop have arrived. Instead of printing them in Catalyst, I am leaving some at the back of the church – or I can email a copy to you very easily if you let me know. If you buy your own Christmas tree from Layhams using this voucher, they will donate £5 to our Christmas Tree charity, Bromley Y.

- 7 -

HAYES FREE CHURCH CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL 2nd – 10th December 2017 in aid of BROMLEY Y

Bromley Y is a long established local charity offering free therapeutic support to young people between the ages of 0 -18 years, and to their families.

The church will be open for services at 10.30am and 6.30pm on both Sundays. During the festival it will also be open daily to view the trees as shown below.

NB The church will NOT be open on Sat 2nd December until 7.00pm.

Saturday 2nd December 7.30pm – OPENING CONCERT: Croydon Guitar Club Entertains

Sunday 3rd December 6.30pm – Evening Service with Pickhurst Junior Academy Tree viewing 1.00 – 2.45pm Monday 4th December 7.30pm - Bishop Justus School Concert Tree viewing from 2.30pm to start of concert Tues 5th December NO EVENING EVENT Tree viewing 2.30 – 4.30pm Wednesday 6th December 7.30pm – Concert: The Wandle Ringers Tree viewing from 2.30pm to start of concert Thurs 7th December 7.30pm – Chamber Concert: Bromley Youth Music Trust (featuring string quartets and Cello Massif) Tree viewing from 2.30pm to start of concert Fri 8th December 7.00 for 7.20pm – Film: The Shop around the Corner (1940) (relive the cinema experience of the 1940s in the company of James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan) Tree viewing from 2.30pm to start of film evening Sat 9th December 7.45pm – Concert: Beckenham Concert Band Tree viewing from 2.30pm to start of concert Sun 10th December 6.30pm – Evening Service: Churches Together in Hayes with musicians from Hayes School Tree viewing 1.00 – 2.45pm All the money raised will go to Bromley Y:

www.bromleywellbeingcyp.org

www.hayesfreechurch.com

- 8 -

A CHRISTMAS QUIZ

There are no prizes, I’m sorry to say, just satisfaction if you get the answers right. But since next February is a long time to wait, the answers can be found in this edition (on page 13).

1 Which group of Christmas characters have these initials:

D, D, P, V, C, C, D, B?

2 During Matthew’s account of the events around Jesus’ birth, Joseph often receives direction through dreams. How many dreams altogether - up to the point where he settles the family in Nazareth?

3 Which flower family does the Christmas rose belong to:

Rose (Rosaceae);

Buttercup (Ranunculaceae); or

Daisy (Asteraceae)?

4 Which country supplies the Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square every year?

5 When were the first Christmas cards produced for sale:

1843; 1853; or 1863?

6 Who wrote about the “hideous tie so kindly meant”?

7 In which part of the world is carp the traditional Christmas dinner?

8 Who grumbled “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents”?

9 Which well known carol has the Latin name “Adeste Fideles”?

10 Which branch of the Orthodox church celebrates Christmas Day on January 18th?

++++++++++

Hayes Free Church Christmas Fair and Charity Card Sale Our Christmas Fair on 11 November raised an amount of £1,594.45 for church funds. At time of writing there is still further money coming in, so this amount will rise. The total of monies taken by the charities at the Card Sale alongside was nearly £1,300. This was down by about £50 on last year’s takings, but bearing in mind that there were three fewer charities represented this year, it would seem to be a good result. Without exception, the charities were very pleased with the new positioning, and were asking to be remembered next year!! Altogether it was a very enjoyable time, and we thank you for all your hard work.

Daphne and Pamela

- 9 -

NEWS FROM SOME OF OUR REGULAR CHARITIES

THE CHARTWELL CANCER TRUST Dear CCT Supporters, We are delighted to announce that we will shortly be opening our first ever Chartwell Cancer Trust charity Shop and Warehouse in Brixton.

We are in desperate need of usable furniture, bric-a-brac items, hard back books, games and toys, Records, CD's and DVDs, pictures and paintings and anything else you can think of...... (We are unable to take clothing or footwear). If you can help, please get in touch ASAP on 01959 570322 or email info@chartwellcancertrust.co.uk. Thank You, The CCT Team

And the earlier appeal for Christmas help from the same charity still applies in part. CHARTWELL CANCER TRUST is still asking for volunteers for present wrapping in December (Sat 16, Sun 17, Thurs 21) and for Carol singing (as part of, or joining with, a choir) in the Glades. If interested, please contact them via the details given above. Thank you.

BROMLEY FOOD BANK

Following recent Harvest Festival contributions, the emphasis at the moment is less on food and more on toiletries and similar. Toilet rolls and nappies are particularly welcome. However there always seems to be a need for jars of coffee and deserts, and whatever you bring will of course be used. As explained on p12 of

this edition, there is always a time-lag between the finalising of Catalyst and the date when it reaches you, so for completely up-to-date information it is best, if you can, to consult the website:

https://bromleyborough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/

- 10 -

- 11 -

Special dates in December and January:

Saturday 2nd Dec: Start of Christmas Tree Festival

Sunday 3rd Dec: First Sunday of Advent

Sunday 10th Dec: Close of Festival

Sunday 24th Dec: Christmas Eve

Monday 25th Dec: Christmas Day

Tuesday 26th Dec: St Stephen’s Day (first Christian martyr); Boxing Day

Thursday 28th Dec: Holy Innocents Day

Monday 1st Jan: New Year’s Day

Thursday 25th Jan: Burns Night

Saturday 27th Jan: Holocaust Memorial Day

BROMLEY HOMELESS STARTER PACKS These packs are organised to support homeless people when they finally get off the streets. They contain all those basic things we take for granted, in the areas of: BEDDING (duvet cover, pillowcase, sheets) CROCKERY (set of crockery and cutlery for one)

POTS (saucepans etc) UTILITY PACK (things like tin-opener, washing up bowl, tea towels, dusters) There is also a pack of bathroom and toiletries, though this overlaps a little with the current needs of the Foodbank (see p9) If you can contribute any items in this area, Bromley Parish Church will be glad to receive them on the first Saturday of each month at 10am – 12.30pm.Full details at http://bromleystarterpacks.weebly.com

What a difference a cup of coffee can make! You will be pleased to know that your Sunday morning drinking habits are still enabling me to donate to charitable causes! Over the last months l have sent £25 to the Creative Learning Trust (formerly CSEF); £15 to the Fishermen’s Mission; and £10 to the Leprosy Mission. £200 was sent to the Action Aid Emergency appeal for the Rohingya people, £50 of which was from the coffee donations. We also provide all the tea, coffee, sugar etc for the Christmas tree festival and give a donation. It is amazing how far your giving stretches! I had to buy a new water dispenser and the cost of that came out of the donations too. Many thanks and keep drinking! Barbara

- 12 -

PLEASE NOTE:

Catalyst 2018

Following on last month’s notification of the prices, and especially the rise in postage – did you know that you can receive Catalyst via email at no charge? This is of course not right for everyone, but if you wish to make the switch it is very easy to do. Simply contact David and Judith Stoner, or the Editor, to let us know your wishes and to provide an email address. If you have already paid for the coming year it should be possible to refund your money if you make the change straightaway.

A little more about Catalyst

Why are the deadlines so early in the month?

The pattern of a Catalyst month is based on the fact that we all come together on a Sunday. The publication date is always the last Sunday in the preceding month – that is when you can pick up Catalyst from your pigeonhole at church. Similarly, items for inclusion in the magazine can be handed to the Editor in person, or picked up from a pigeonhole, most easily on Sunday. Email means that we are not always restricted to Sunday, but sometimes we are, and so it remains the best day to set as the deadline for copy.

But much has to be done after the copy is gathered together. First the text must be prepared, with pictures and new articles to fill any gaps (probably the most time-consuming thing of all is making sure the content fits exactly into the right number of pages). Then it must be proofread, corrected, printed, collated, and put in pigeonholes or posted. It is not possible to achieve all this within a single week on a regular basis. So we have to allow for a period longer than a week to put Catalyst together, but since those two important dates still have to be Sundays, that means there has to be a fortnight between them. The last Sunday in the month may be at the end of the month, but it can be much earlier – as early as 22nd if the month happens to be February. And that is why it is possible to have a deadline as early as 8th February (though that is of course rare). Often, as this time, the copy deadline hovers around 12th-14th of the previous month. It seems early, but I hope I have explained why.

- 13 -

!!!Stop press!!!

Over these two months please start to consider whether you would like to take daily Bible Reading notes, or to continue if you already do so. They have to be ordered in February to start in May. Full details will be in February’s Catalyst but there will only be a fairly short time to decide, so please have a look at the sample copies at the back of the church if you are interested.

=====

DID YOU KNOW?...

Two varieties of seahorse have returned to the Thames – the short-snouted and the spiny. They are established right in the heart of London (at the South Bank and Greenwich). And they can only live there because the river is much cleaner than it used to be. A cheerful thought for Christmas.

=====

CHRISTMAS QUIZ ANSWERS (see page 8 for the questions)

1 The reindeer in “The Night Before Christmas” (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen – there are various different spellings of the last two names)

2 Four: to marry Mary; to leave Bethlehem; to return from Egypt; to settle in Galilee

3 Buttercup 4 Norway 5 1843 6 John Betjeman in “Christmas” 7 Eastern Europe 8 Jo at the beginning of “Little Women” 9 “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” 10 The Armenian Orthodox church (or at least part of it)

- 14 -

Calendar for December

Fri 1 2.00pm Mothers and Toddlers’ Club (p3)

Sat 2 7.30pm CTF Concert (Croydon Guitar Club)

(pp6-7)

Sun 3 10.30am

12.30pm

6.30pm

Morning Service: Rev Geoff Larcombe

(p2)

Singles’ Lunch (p5)

CTF Service with Pickhurst Juniors (pp2 and 7)

Mon 4 12.30pm

7.30pm

Women’s Contact Group (p3)

CTF Concert (Bishop Justus) (p7)

Tue 5 2.00pm

7.00pm

Tuesday Friendship Group (p4)

Elders’ Meeting (p3)

Weds 6 7.30pm CTF Concert (Wandle Ringers) (p7)

Thur 7 7.30pm CTF Concert (Bromley Youth Music Trust) (pp6-7)

Fri 8 7.00 for 7.20pm

CTF Film Night (pp6-7)

Sat 9 7.45pm CTF Concert (Beckenham Concert Band) (p7)

Sun 10 10.30am

11.30pm

6.30pm

Gift Service and Parade: Martin Wilcox

(p2)

Fairtrade Stall (p4)

Churches Together in Hayes Service with Hayes School (pp2 and 7)

Close of Christmas Tree Festival

Tue 12 2.00pm Tuesday Friendship Group (p4)

Sun 17 10.30am

6.30pm

Service of Nine Lessons and Carols: Tony

Russell (p2)

Evening Service (p2)

Sun 24 10.30am

6.30pm

Morning Service: Alan Kienlen (p2)

Holy Communion: Mavis Righini (p2)

Mon 25

10.30am

Christmas Day

Morning Service: Duncan Wilson (p2)

- 15 -

Tue 26 St Stephen’s Day

Boxing Day (Bank Holiday)

Sun 31

10.30am

New Year’s Eve

Morning Service: Hilary Miles (p2)

No evening service

January 2018:

Mon 1 New Year’s Day (Bank Holiday)

Fri 5 2.00pm Mothers and Toddlers’ Club (p3)

Sat 6 2.30pm Saturday Fellowship (p4)

Sun 7 10.30am

6.30pm

Morning Service (p2)

Evening Service (p2)

Mon 8 12.30pm Women’s Contact Group (p3)

Tue 9 2.00pm

7.00pm

Tuesday Friendship Group (p4)

Elders’ Meeting (p3)

Weds 10 2.00pm Book Club (p4)

Fri 12 2.00pm Mothers and Toddlers’ Club (p3)

Sun 14 10.30am

11.30pm

6.30pm

Morning Service (p2)

Fairtrade Stall (p4)

Evening Service (p2)

Tue 16 2.00pm Tuesday Friendship Group (p4)

Thur 18 8.00pm Men’s Group (p3)

Fri 19 2.00pm Mothers and Toddlers’ Club (p3)

Sat 20 7.30pm Quiz Night at Trinity URC (p10)

Sun 21 10.30am

6.30pm

Morning Service (p2)

Evening Service (p2)

Tue 23 2.00pm Tuesday Friendship Group (p4)

Weds 24 3.30pm Messy Church (p4)

Fri 26 2.00pm Mothers and Toddlers’ Club (p3)

Sat 27 Holocaust Memorial Day

Sun 28 10.30am

12.00noon

6.30pm

Morning Service (p2)

Church Meeting (p3)

Evening Service (p2)

Tue 30 2.00pm Tuesday Friendship Group (p4)

- 16 -

Christmas Greetings: As in past years, some space has been set aside for your Christmas and New Year messages: I wish everyone in Hayes Free Church a very Happy Christmas and a healthy, happy and peaceful New Year. Daphne Cummings

With all good wishes and every blessing to the Church Family for Christmas and the New Year from John and Margaret Robinson

Maggie and Mike Greenwood, and Claire, Chris and Oliver Turner would like to thank everyone for their love and support during 2017, and wish everyone at HFC a very merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year.

Jim Pearson sends Christmas greetings to all at Hayes Free Church together with best wishes for a happy 2018.

To all my friends in my church family, with best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. May we continue to reach out to each other in love and tranquillity of the Holy Spirit within our church. Jean Ritchie

I wish everyone at Hayes Free a happy peaceful and blessed Christmas - from Linda Michie

Wishing everyone at Hayes Free Church Christmas Greetings and a happy peaceful 2018. David and Judith Stoner

Merry Christmas to all our friends at Hayes Free Church – from Joan and Bob Cook

Greetings and best wishes to all my friends at Hayes Free Church, and many thanks for all the lifts which bring me to church so regularly. Thelma Baggs

And last but not least – Best wishes for a very happy Christmas and New Year from all of us who are involved in the production of Catalyst.

CHURCH ORGANISATIONS – please advise the Editor of updates as they arise

Day Organisation Contact Phone/Email

Sunday

Monday

5.45pm Brownies Sarah Humphrey 020 3539 8113

6.30pm Cubs Brenda Petts 020 8325 3956

12.30pm - 1st Mon only

Women's Contact Group Sylvia Mack 020 8462 1938

Tuesday

2.00pm Tuesday Friendship Group

Wendy Smith 020 8462 1779

7.15pm Scouts - 1st troop Paul Hasling 020 3236 0083

Wednesday

2.00pm - 1st Weds only

HFC Book Club Wendy Smith 020 8462 1779

3.30pm - 4th Weds only

Messy Church Mavis Righini 020 8462 1168

5.30pm Rainbows Jenny Longman 07730 574962

6.00pm Beavers Brenda Petts 020 8325 3956

6.30pm Guides – 4th Hayes Teresa Cheyne 020 8777 6042

8.00pm Explorers Phil Butcher & Dan Perrott

Pip.butcher@ googlemail.com danperrott@ hotmail.com

Thursday

5.30pm Brownies Stevie Blair 020 8325 3469

7.15 - 8.45pm Rangers Please use this email contact:

Hayesdistrict@ yahoo.com

7.15pm Scouts - 2nd troop Paul Hasling 020 3236 0083

8.00pm - 3rd Thurs only

Men's Group Bruce Tannock 020 8325 6264

Friday

2.00pm Mothers & Toddlers Wendy Smith 020 8462 1779

6.30pm Guides – 3rd Hayes Teresa Cheyne 020 8777 6042

Saturday

2.30pm - 1st Sat only

Saturday Fellowship Martin Nunn 020 8462 5918

Final Thought:

The Angel’s message:

From heaven above to earth I come to bear good news to everyone;

Glad tidings of great joy I bring, of which I now will say and sing:

To you this night is born a child of Mary, chosen mother mild;

This new-born babe of lowly birth shall be the joy of all the earth.

The Children’s welcome:

Our hearts for very joy must leap;

Our lips no more can silence keep;

We too must sing with joyful tongue

That sweetest ancient cradle song:

“Glory to God in highest heaven,

For he to us his Son has given!”

While angels sing with holy mirth

A glad new year

to all the earth.

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546); tr Catherine Winkworth (1827-78)